So you've just bought yourself a Fusion 5 Channel Marine Amp and you're wondering how to get the best out of it. A sound system is a great addition to any Boat, and of Course you want it to be performing at an optimum level.

Knowing how to tune your amplifier properly can be the difference between getting poor sound and clear, crisp definition.

Most Boaties can self install, but tuning your amplifier can take a bit of trial and error, as there are a lot of variables to consider – for example, the size of the speakers, acoustics of the >Cabin it's playing in, and type of music you want to play. Take your time during the initial set-up to make sure you get things just right.

The Fusion MS-DA51600 is designed to power two sets of speakers and a sub-woofer with ease.

Here are some handy hints on how to tune your MS-DA51600 for maximum performance:

• First you'll want to adjust your levels to get the balance between your input and output right. Having an imbalance will result in poor sound. Simply wind the front level pot to 3/4 volume, set your bass and treble responses flat, and wind the amp to 3/4 volume or desired level so that the audio isn't clipped or distorted.

• When setting the levels for your sub-woofer, ALWAYS check what the >Head unit can actually supply, as not to overload the sub. The sub-woofer's subsonic filter will prevent any inaudible audio buzz from damaging the amp. Setting this to about 20 – 30 >Hertz is typically recommended.

• Be careful not to overdrive the bass boost, as this can damage the sub-woofer.

• Make sure you've got the sub input and speaker inputs at the correct RCA inputs.

• Turning the high pass filter Frequency up until the bass is removed is usually ideal, but it's completely up to you, and depends on the kind of sound you want.

• For sub-woofers, an LPF of 80-120 >Hertz is typically recommended. Setting it to lower than 80 will give you a deep bass sound.

For a demonstration, check out the video below – or you can also ask us in-store at CH Smith Marine.